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ericlondon said:
+1 for the 24-70L! My old 28-70mmL almost never left my camera on wedding days... The 20-35mmL was great for interior shots of the church during the service and some edgy WA stuff during the reception. The 70-200mmL was what I shot from a tripod at the back; if the church was "photog unfriendly" and was on my second body for B&W portraiture (if requested by the bride & groom)...
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libertyranger
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Cregg Annarino said:libertyranger said:Hello CR,
I've been following CR for a couple months now since I bought my T3i and have delved into the world of photography. I've done some wildlife photography recently and some portraits and have discovered I really enjoy portraits and events.
I recently shot my brother's (with my wife's help) engagement photos with my new camera and a 50 1.8 lens I borrowed from a friend. They came out pretty good (Well at least he thought they did) and asked if I would shoot his wedding. While I have no experience shooting weddings (and clearly told him so, I said I would. So...
What lenses do you suggest I use. I know I can borrow the 50 1.8 from a friend and she'll let me borrow her 28-70 2.8L lens. I'll probably borrow her 60D and shot with my wife (She'll use the T3i).
Also, any other suggestions for a budding wedding photographer. Thanks in advance.
Mike
Hey Mike,
So what month and where is the wedding going to be? Is it a day or night wedding? Exactly what gear do you currently have or will borrow for the wedding day?
Weddings can be tough for sure but you have some time to plan and prepare and get any gear you may need so that's a good thing. I do 30 weddings or so a year, full time and have been doing it for just about 10 years. They most definitely aren't easy and you have to be prepared to do more than just click photos. You will be directing people as well during stuff like the formals and group shots. That is a big part of the day some people don't realize they even have to do.
You will need to make decisions when it comes to formals and the group shots. You can't be indecisive, wedding parties hate that. You can't ask the clients where they want the pics, stuff like that....and since it's your bro and his friends and your family, everyone will be nice to you and these things won't be a big factor like they would be at a clients wedding...lmao....drunk and jerky people can certainly be a huge pain on a wedding day at formals time...lol...Almost every wedding is a rush, things like makeup and hair always run late.
You will either come out of this wedding thinking, dam I will never do that again...Or you may love it and want to continue.
Thanks for the advice!
The wedding is in March and it will be an indoor wedding (both ceremony and reception). My current equipment:
T3i w/ Kit Lens 18-55 f/3.5-5.6 (What I own)
60D w/ 24-70 f2.8 (What I will borrow)
Per the advice of several people here and much research I have down on my own, I plan on getting a Speedlite by the time the wedding comes. I know I will need some practice with it before the actual wedding so in February I will probably get one for my B-Day. I'm thinking either the 430EX II or the 580EX II. There's a decent jump in price between the two so I'll have to think about which one. However, I would not want to et the 430 and then regret not paying a little extra for a better flash. Any thoughts?
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the 580s are great but expensive, you will be using 2 cameras so I would say you are much better off getting 2 430s one on each. just use direct flash in ettl and you lose less power, dont stick domes and stuff on it.
with that combo you should be good, leave your t3i with 18-55 on F8 use it for groups where there are more than 2. reason is with it stopped down to f8 your image quality will be optimal for that lens body and you dont have to worry about stuffing up the DOF. (I have done this so many times with groups) been in a rush and left the aperture wide or bumped it :-[
have your 60D with 24-70 set at f2.8 and use that for you cropped in shots couple shots and single person shots and get that nice background blur.
Also with the flashes 2 basic rules to get you out of trouble look at the back ground if its brighter than the subject dial in some +EV on the flash using the dial on the back if the background is darker than the subject dial in some -EV on the flash, do some practice with this to get a feel for it before hand.
also if there is a white ceiling or even a wall near where you are shooting bounce the flash off that.
be prepared for so much stuff happening all at once. also with the flashes as i mentioned get the yongnuo battery packs they are around $40 on ebay and will take away the worry of running out of flash battery you need 12 batteries per flash, 4 in the flash and 8 in the battery pack, take some spares but you probably wont need to change batterys if using the battey packs
with that combo you should be good, leave your t3i with 18-55 on F8 use it for groups where there are more than 2. reason is with it stopped down to f8 your image quality will be optimal for that lens body and you dont have to worry about stuffing up the DOF. (I have done this so many times with groups) been in a rush and left the aperture wide or bumped it :-[
have your 60D with 24-70 set at f2.8 and use that for you cropped in shots couple shots and single person shots and get that nice background blur.
Also with the flashes 2 basic rules to get you out of trouble look at the back ground if its brighter than the subject dial in some +EV on the flash using the dial on the back if the background is darker than the subject dial in some -EV on the flash, do some practice with this to get a feel for it before hand.
also if there is a white ceiling or even a wall near where you are shooting bounce the flash off that.
be prepared for so much stuff happening all at once. also with the flashes as i mentioned get the yongnuo battery packs they are around $40 on ebay and will take away the worry of running out of flash battery you need 12 batteries per flash, 4 in the flash and 8 in the battery pack, take some spares but you probably wont need to change batterys if using the battey packs
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Flake
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I'd advise you get an SB E2 flash bracket for weddings, especially if you have an extending lens (they're cheap on Ebay and there's not much to go wrong). Trying to shoot in portrait mode with a flash on the left (normally) side of the camera casts shadows especially if there's a lens in the way, you're likely to take more portraits at times in the wedding than landscape, it will make a difference.
In the days of film & medium format many viewfinders were look down type, and the camera was at waist level, this is more flattering than standing bolt upright and looking down on people, which does not produce such a nice image - shoot from waist height where practical.
Most wedding photographers offer different packages, I would suggest that as a first outing you only shoot the basic one - no bride getting ready, or candids at the reception. Just shoot the ceremony, guys at the venue, bride & dad arriving, entrance etc etc. Then the reception group shots etc and a staged cutting of the cake with just the bride & groom in the shot.
After than you're done, enjoy the meal & the reception and relax! If you feel like it shoot a few of the speeches, but you'll probably be wiped out at this staged - stressed & irritable!
When you offer the proofs to the happy couple don't be too dissapointed when they choose all the worst images, they seem to have an ability to home in on the most boring formulaic images, and that special shot you spent ages creating and you think deserves an award barely gets a first glance never mind a second!
In the days of film & medium format many viewfinders were look down type, and the camera was at waist level, this is more flattering than standing bolt upright and looking down on people, which does not produce such a nice image - shoot from waist height where practical.
Most wedding photographers offer different packages, I would suggest that as a first outing you only shoot the basic one - no bride getting ready, or candids at the reception. Just shoot the ceremony, guys at the venue, bride & dad arriving, entrance etc etc. Then the reception group shots etc and a staged cutting of the cake with just the bride & groom in the shot.
After than you're done, enjoy the meal & the reception and relax! If you feel like it shoot a few of the speeches, but you'll probably be wiped out at this staged - stressed & irritable!
When you offer the proofs to the happy couple don't be too dissapointed when they choose all the worst images, they seem to have an ability to home in on the most boring formulaic images, and that special shot you spent ages creating and you think deserves an award barely gets a first glance never mind a second!
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JerPhotos said:
I use a 5DII and a 1D3 however the 1D is heavy I am thinking about getting a 7D and 17-55 f2.8 to use instead as its much lighter then the 5DII i would use the 70-200 f2.8 or the 85mm 1.4
I think the 7D is a very capable camera especially with good glass.
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I have been in your shoes - I shot my brother's wedding several years ago. I had done a few before, and I've done about a dozen since. But man - you really have your work cut out for you.
Here are some practical tips based on your specific situation:
1) Like it has been suggested, strongly consider hiring a professional photographer as a gift to your brother and his wife (and to yourself). I get the sense you're not going to take this advice and will shoot it anyway, which I understand. But yeah, you will not experience the wedding from behind the camera. My memories of my brother's wedding are fuzzy and hectic. It's a shame really.
2) Eat before you arrive and bring snacks. You might get to sit down and have a meal, but do not count on it. You might have all the best equipment in the world, but if you're famished, your work will greatly suffer. Eat and drink (water) at every chance you get, because you won't get many. And honestly, you should use any breaks you have to review your images to make sure you're actually capturing what you think you are. If your lens got switched to manual focus and you didn't realize it, that is one of the most frustrating experiences you can imagine.
3) If you are struggling with low light (which you will, or worse - you won't realize that you are), put the camera on auto, put the flash on your camera and point it straight at your subject and simply focus on putting yourself in the best position possible. Your photos will definitely not look "awesome," but they will be properly exposed and in focus. And because you aren't fiddling with your gear, you can get in places and take photos that none of the guests will, which will set your photos apart from the ones that they'll post on Facebook immediately after (and during) the wedding.
4) Don't plan on switching lenses on camera bodies at any point during the day. Have 2 cameras and 2 lenses (extras in your bag for backup are fine). You'll miss photos when switching lenses, and you'll be rushed, likely dropping things. With your gear, I'd put the 24-70 on the T3i and the 50mm on the 60D. This leaves you without a telephoto lens, so if you can get a 70-200, use that instead of the 50. But don't sweat it if you can't get a 70-200. I love mine and use it a lot, but for weddings, I usually go more wide.
5) Put the priority on capturing the moment vs. making it look pretty. When it comes down to it, just get the photo. And then get lots more.
This is not advice I'd give to anyone who wants to deliver the most professional, aesthetically-pleasing wedding photos, but it is practical advice aimed at simply not screwing up majorly. Good luck, and let us know how it turns out!
Here are some practical tips based on your specific situation:
1) Like it has been suggested, strongly consider hiring a professional photographer as a gift to your brother and his wife (and to yourself). I get the sense you're not going to take this advice and will shoot it anyway, which I understand. But yeah, you will not experience the wedding from behind the camera. My memories of my brother's wedding are fuzzy and hectic. It's a shame really.
2) Eat before you arrive and bring snacks. You might get to sit down and have a meal, but do not count on it. You might have all the best equipment in the world, but if you're famished, your work will greatly suffer. Eat and drink (water) at every chance you get, because you won't get many. And honestly, you should use any breaks you have to review your images to make sure you're actually capturing what you think you are. If your lens got switched to manual focus and you didn't realize it, that is one of the most frustrating experiences you can imagine.
3) If you are struggling with low light (which you will, or worse - you won't realize that you are), put the camera on auto, put the flash on your camera and point it straight at your subject and simply focus on putting yourself in the best position possible. Your photos will definitely not look "awesome," but they will be properly exposed and in focus. And because you aren't fiddling with your gear, you can get in places and take photos that none of the guests will, which will set your photos apart from the ones that they'll post on Facebook immediately after (and during) the wedding.
4) Don't plan on switching lenses on camera bodies at any point during the day. Have 2 cameras and 2 lenses (extras in your bag for backup are fine). You'll miss photos when switching lenses, and you'll be rushed, likely dropping things. With your gear, I'd put the 24-70 on the T3i and the 50mm on the 60D. This leaves you without a telephoto lens, so if you can get a 70-200, use that instead of the 50. But don't sweat it if you can't get a 70-200. I love mine and use it a lot, but for weddings, I usually go more wide.
5) Put the priority on capturing the moment vs. making it look pretty. When it comes down to it, just get the photo. And then get lots more.
This is not advice I'd give to anyone who wants to deliver the most professional, aesthetically-pleasing wedding photos, but it is practical advice aimed at simply not screwing up majorly. Good luck, and let us know how it turns out!
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